New in Home Entertainment
September 9, 2014
Citizen Koch
Available on DVD
Focusing on the deplorable Citizens United legislation, this doc attempts to incriminate the infamous Koch Brothers and their Super PAC Americans for Prosperity for starting a chain reaction that has deeply damaged America. While I agree with most of the points the film makes, I wish the doc had better structure and an answer to the dilemma. It does a great job riling up the crowd and stirring up anger, but it does a poor job of focusing that anger at a specific goal that might fix this mess. So if you want to simply get angry, watch this film. If you want to know what to do with that anger, you’ll have to find another resource. B-
The World Wars
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
There are only so many ways you can tell the same story, but The History Channel has to develop new programing, so here comes this slick production that ties together the leaders of WWII and what shaped them during WWI. Many are accusing the pseudo-doc for being full of errors. Since I’m not a fact-checking historian, I can only assume there is some validity to these criticisms. Where I can comment is that it is long and dry and in need of pacing help and cuts throughout. Frankly, for much of it I was quite bored. C+
The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Fifth Season
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
It seems like every network and their werewolf has a vampire series but only a couple have proven themselves worthy of a watch. With True Blood turning in an amazingly bad final season, the only bloodsucker drama worth checking out is this CW series. Sure its a bit cheesy and cliched, but the story is entertaining, the actors are super sexy (Nina Dobrev just might be the most beautiful actress on television right now), and there is a sense of humor that pervades without too much eye-rolling required. Also available this week is the ninth season of CW’s other fantasy show Supernatural. B